Written By: Dr Anitha Anchan | Updated : June 5, 2015 8:04 AM IST
Image credits by: Do you floss your teeth every day? ©Shutterstock
Flossing is an important part of your oral care routine. There is a direct correlation between lack of flossing and the development of gum disease. Bad oral practices like inadequate brushing, vigorous brushing with a hard bristled toothbrush or giving flossing a miss can cause accumulation of plaque over a period of time. This can lead to gum disease, which can cause gum recession.
Receding gum lines can expose the dentin, making the tooth sensitive. When this happens, chances are that your teeth may start to hurt after you floss your teeth. The back and forth motion of flossing may trigger sensitivity in your teeth.
Plaque may give a false sense of cover to the exposed dentine. If you are not in the habit of flossing and plan to start doing so, it is normal to experience sensitivity in the teeth for a few days because cleaning the inner parts of the teeth and gum exposes previously unexposed dentin to open conditions. This may tempt you to avoid flossing. But in fact, flossing can remove plaque from areas between your teeth and under the gum line to improve the health of your gums and help reattachment of healthy gums to teeth to cover the exposed dentine.
Flossing your teeth can clean the corners of the mouth where your brush cannot reach and prevent gum disease. Hence flossing, done diligently, can help get rid of your teeth sensitivity due to gum recession. When you use floss, gently curve it around the base of each tooth making sure you go beneath the gumline. Never snap or force as this may bruise or cut delicate gum tissue.
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References:
1. Sambunjak D, Nickerson JW, Poklepovic T, Johnson TM, Imai P, Tugwell P, Worthington HV. Flossing for the management of periodontal diseases and dental caries in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Dec 7;(12):CD008829. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008829.pub2. Review. PubMed PMID: 22161438.
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